


“Come inside. I don’t want you to get sick.”

by Mx Magic Fluffenmew (PerpetuallyDone)



Series: Tumblr Requests [4]
Category: Disney Ducks (Comics)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-10-13
Packaged: 2020-12-14 18:37:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,515
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21020405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PerpetuallyDone/pseuds/Mx%20Magic%20Fluffenmew
Summary: In which Cartesius does the only thing he can.  (A Tumblr Request)





	“Come inside. I don’t want you to get sick.”

**Author's Note:**

> DRAKOTTS ASKED:  
“Come inside. I don’t want you to get sick.” Copernicus + Cartesius perhaps? I'm at the ready with any lore you'd need!  
\---  
I only learned about these characters recently, and I read “The Thief and the Billionaire” solely to write this. Apologies for their being OOC.

Cartesius was at the end of his rope. In the back of his mind, in a place he long since ignored, he knew it would happen eventually. Everyone always told him, ‘You’re going to anger the wrong person one of these days,’ but bah! What did they know? Yes, he was no *Copernicus*, but that’s *exactly* why he stayed on top! He was brilliant! Charismatic! A true genius! Not to mention he had the looks to tie it all together.

Of course, he knew one day he’d meet someone who wasn’t only blind to those facts, but downright ignorant, spitting boldly in the face of pure fact.

Though after a particularly nasty blow to the head, he couldn’t recall who the daft fool was. The pouring rain didn’t help matters either. It was like the heavens themselves cried over his plight, plastering his hair to his face and his clothes to his body. As he staggered closer and closer to the villa so near yet so far, the mud seemed to creep higher up his legs, caked on so thick he felt like he was wearing waders. 

A shiver darted down his spine. Both from the cold and what awaited him.

As he fruitlessly pawed his matted hair from his eyes once more, he could only hope for the best.

Between the downpour threatening to drown him and the state of his injuries, it seemed like ages before he reached the door. For a moment, he merely stood there, trying to catch his breath. Each inhale felt sharp, like a dozen pinpricks to his lungs. With a final deep breath, he straightened himself up and adjusted his coat with a few tugs, as firm as he could manage.

He shivered again.

While thunder boomed somewhere in the distance, he lifted a hand and pressed the doorbell, leaning into the button to be on the safe side. If his brother didn’t hear, didn’t answer him, for once he wouldn’t be sure what to do with himself. 

He had no one else.

After a good few seconds, he leaned back off the doorbell button and wrapped his arms around himself once more. Oh, he surely must have been a sorry sight. Looking like a beaten, drowned rat. 

Another eternity seemed to past before the door finally opened. Thankfully, it wasn’t Quackett. There his brother stood, one hand clenching the doorknob. 

Copernicus’ eyes widened behind his owlish glasses. At first he didn’t say anything, instead taking in the sight of his twin. Soaked to the bone on his doorstep, yet splatters of mud and bits of blood still clung desperately to his form. 

Cartesius held his breath, waiting to be turned away. Shooed off and dismissed like he had been so many times before. But this wasn’t another one of those times.

Right when he thought that was that, Copernicus stepped aside with a pinched brow, holding the door open for him. "Come inside. I don’t want you to get sick. Well, if you aren’t already…“

Cartesius didn’t wait to be told twice. With a limp in his step, he came inside, though a hand to his shoulder stopped him from moving beyond the doormat. 

“Wait here,” his brother told him, touch too gentle compared to their normally scathing words. He watched as Copernicus left the room. From where he stood, he could hear the faint chatter from further in the house, though their meaning escaped him. Their tones, however, were hushed, concerned even. 

His eyes narrowed for a moment before another shiver ran through him. He didn’t want pity. He didn’t need it. He only wanted him. 

He wanted his brother.

Of course with his luck, as soon as he stepped off the mat, Copernicus returned, towels in hand. 

The bespectacled twin shot him a withered look, yet he held his tongue. Instead, he stepped close, wrapping one of the towel around his shoulders. The smaller one, he draped over his head, obscuring his eyes. "What did you get yourself into this time?“

Cartesius pulled the larger towel closer to his trembling form, tightly fisting the edges in one hand. With the other, he swiped the second towel of his head. He started wiping his face off, using the dripping of his hair as an excuse to not look Copernicus in the eye. ”…I’m not sure.“

“What do you mean you aren’t sure? You’re an absolute mess. What, did you hit your head or something?” Copernicus questioned, eyes half-lidded in a cross between suspicion and annoyance.

His movements stuttered for but a second before Cartesius continued to wipe off his face, despite the feathers already being only damp. "I… I don’t remember,“ he murmured, voice muffled from the cloth.

Copernicus’ brows knit tightly as he stepped into Cartesius’ bubble once more. With a careful touch, he threaded his fingers into his brother’s hair, gingerly pressing against his scalp as best he could through the knots. 

As he touched one spot in particular, his vision went white. With a hiss of pain, the towel dropped from Cartesius’ grasp. Instinctively, he tried to push his brother away. 

He relented, taking a step back as he untangled his fingers. Bringing them to view, bits of blood stained his white feathers. His jaw clenched. "You got yourself into quite a bird of trouble, didn’t you?” He muttered, pausing only to scoop up the abandoned towel before wrapping an arm around Cartesius’ shoulder. 

He lead the two of them further into the house, through so many always that Cartesius’s fuzzy mind couldn’t pinpoint where they were. To him, it felt like one giant maze. "…I guess so. I don’t even…“ He trailed off as he was brought into the bathroom, the lights blinding him as soon as they came on. 

Squinting against the brightness, he let himself be sat down on the edge of the bathtub. As if knowing he was about to start complaining, Copernicus dropped the towel back on his head, letting it flop over his eyes. He could hear him moving about the bathroom, opening drawers and doors.

"Well, whatever mess you got yourself into, it looks like the other person had the upper hand on you. I can barely fathom how much worse you would have looked if not for all that rain… Your shirt is likely a lost cause.”

Moving the towel back a bit, Cartesius looked down at himself. He hadn’t even noticed the large tear in his shirt. His stomach twisted at the sight.

“I knew you always had a knack for causing trouble. It’s only grown worse as we have too. But I always hoped you knew to put an end to it before something drastic happened. You’re hellish, brother. Foolish even. But…” Another door snapped shut. 

“You’re no idiot.” A pause. "Well… At least not in most cases…“

Cartesius tugged the towel back a bit more and started to dry his hair, mindful not to touch the spot that stained his brother’s fingers. He didn’t dare look at him. ”…What are you saying, Copernicus?“

Footsteps drew near. A stifled sigh. Copernicus set down a bulky first aid kit before kneeling down before him. He didn’t look him in the eye. "I’m saying you have a good head on your shoulders, Cartesius. At least when you use it for the right reasons. Whatever you did tonight, if things got any worse….”

With the same careful touch as before, he reached forward and pressed just beside the long tear in his brother’s shirt. Again, Cartesius hissed, shrinking away as the sharp pain blossomed as though he were being sliced all over again. 

Copernicus quickly grabbed him by both arms, steadying him before he could fall backwards into the tub. Once sure he wasn’t about to keel over, he lowered his gaze back to the obscured wound. It lingered for a moment before turning back to the first aid it. He bit back a sigh.

“I fear you might not have had the chance to start using that head of yours for the right reasons.” The tin opened with a click, so loud in the bathroom.

Cartesius stayed silent.

“I never understood our little rivalry you know,” Copernicus continued, unable to stop himself. "I didn’t care for the limelight. Never have. I only wanted to invent. Though I suppose… Perhaps if I tried to understand a bit better, this mess could have been avoided. I’m livid with you, and rightfully so, but that doesn’t mean I wish you dead.“

Slowly, Cartesius lifted his gaze. His eyes met Copernicus’ own. 

"What are you saying, brother…?” He questioned, voice but a whisper in the quiet.

“…I apologize, Cartesius.”

Cartesius bolted upright, breath sharp and biting in his lungs. As deeply as he breathed, it didn’t feel like enough. He scrambled for something, anything to ground him.

Moonlight shone through the bare window, tightly locked. 

As reality gripped him once more, Cartesius finally caught his breath. He ran a hand through his wild locks, no pain in his scalp.

The pain in his heart, however, was stronger than ever.


End file.
